Sunday, September 26, 2010

Samuel, Jr. and Mahala Ruth Durfee Parker

Samuel, Jr. was born 6 Oct 1849 in Salt Lake City, son of Samuel Parker, Sr. and Mary Elizabeth Gifford. He had one younger sister named Mary Ann Parker, born 1851 in Basin, Cassia, ID who married Benjamin McBride.

He was baptized 6 Oct 1857, at the age eight, on his birthday. He was endowed 2 Jan 1878, at the age of 28. Mahala Ruth Durfee was born 17 May 1850, in Carterville, Pottowattomie, IA, daughter of Abraham Durfee and Ursula Curtis.

Mahala Ruth made it to Utah as a baby and grew up in Utah. She was baptized 16 Jan 1869, at the age of 19.

It is recorded somewhere (on my PAF) that she had a spouse named Thomas Harrison Winder, but in 1872, at age 21 or 22, she married Samuel Parker, Jr. He was about 23 when they married. Our PAF does not show the place of marriage. Their first child was Mahala Strong Parker, born 10 Aug 1873, in Shoneburg, Washington, UT, when Mahala Ruth Durfee Parker and Samuel Parker, Jr. were each 23 years old. They had two other little girls who apparently died very young.

Mahala Ruth Durfee Parker was murdered 9 Jul 1875, at the age of 25. This tragic story, involving another man and local Indians, needs to be better documented, but various extracts from my notes are included below.

Family folklore through Joseph Leland Hepworth held that Mahala was sought after by a nonmember manager of a local mine, but married Samuel Parker and they had their little girls. When Mahala was only 25, her body was found up Spanish Fork Canyon with her throat cut as Indians might have done, but the perception was Indians were being framed to cover up for the real perpetrator who acted on behalf of or was in fact the mining manager. When Samuel learned of this, he got on his horse and rode after the mining manager chasing him across Utah and into Nevada until finally discovering his body, apparently killed by Indians.

Joseph Hepworth, father to Leland, told his sons the dramatic story of his maternal grandparents. Apparently, Mahala was pursued by a “suiter” who was a mine company manager, and a nonmember. He wanted very much to marry young Mahala, but she married Samuel instead. On 10 Aug 1873, they had a baby, Mahala Strong Parker, their only child to survive. Anna Elizabeth Parker was born to them 18 Mar 1875, in Shonesburg, Washington, UT. She died less than five months later on 7 Aug 1875, a month after her mother was killed.

Some three years after being married to Samuel Parker, Jr., having two baby girls, Mahala Strong, almost 2, and Anna Elizabeth, 5 months, Mahala Ruth Durfee Parker died. The story was that she was murdered, apparently, in Spanish Fork Canyon, or perhaps another canyon in Southern UT. The record in our PAF says she died 9 Jul 1875, in Springdale, Washington County, UT, at the age of 25.

Leland’s recall is that his father Joseph said that she died in Spanish Fork Canyon, and that she was found with her throat cut, in what was thought to be a staged murder made to look like the Indians had done it. Samuel apparently went after the former suitor, believing he was responsible for the death of his wife. Samuel rode after him on his horse across western Utah and into Nevada, but apparently the Indians got to the man first and killed him, possibly somewhere in Nevada as he sought to escape being pursued. “Grandpa Parker” may have been incriminated in the death of the suitor. There was apparently some controversy in the state of Utah over him in the aftermath of this tragedy.

When his infant daughter died, perhaps due to not having her mother’s nursing care, Samuel was left to care alone for his little Mahala, namesake of his wife. The years passed. We’re not sure where he lived, but Mahala appears to have grown up in Dixie, and we have no reason to think father and daughter were separated. He apparently never re-married.

Mahala Strong and John William Hepworth, who also lived in “Dixie,” were married 2 Dec 1891, in the St. George Temple, when she would have been 18 and he was 23. They had three sons while they lived in Southern Utah, their third, Squire Samuel, being born 28 Apr 1898 (a fourth, Oren, was born, but my PAF doesn’t say where), then their fifth, Joseph, was born in Elba, ID 21 Jul 1901. So, somewhere between spring of 1898 and summer of 1901, they moved to Elba.

Mahala Strong would have been 25-28 years old when they moved to Idaho. Her father, Samuel, would have been 49-52 at that time. Mahala and John William and family settled in Malta and raised their extensive family of mostly sons. Mahala died 17 Sep 1912, at the age of 39. We do not know when or where her father, Samuel Parker, died.

Grandpa Parker was apparently blue-eyed, a quiet, happy man, a pleasant, well-behaved gentleman. He never remarried. His son-in-law, Grandpa John William, a very straightforward person, having heard the controversy surrounding Samuel in the aftermath of the death of his wife and her former suitor, asked his father-in-law, “Did you kill that man?” And Grandpa Parker said, “No, I didn’t.” He died UNKNOWN time, UNKNOWN place.

Mahala Ruth Durfee Parker was endowed by proxy, 2 Jan 1878, over two years after she was killed.

6 comments:

Thank you for posting what notes and information you have collected on Mahala Ruth Durfee Parker and her daughter, Mahala Strong Parker. Mahala Ruth was my mother’s grandmother’s sister, and Mahala Ruth’s daughter, Mahala Strong, was my grandmother’s first cousin.

My mother and her sisters were close to their mother and grandmother – I’ve often heard them talking about Mahala. I received my information I’ve written from what I heard them talking, but especially from Mahala Ruth’s granddaughter, Ruth Gifford Stevens (daughter of Ursula Ette Winder) who grew up with and knew her relatives and family stories while living there in Springdale, Utah area. Another cousin that is still living at age 93 varified your history as well as what I've added of the story she could remember.

Mahala Ruth Durfee married Thomas Harrison Winder and had three children by him. She was sixteen when their first child was born: Fernando Durfee Winder; then Ursula Ett Winder; and lastly was John Agustus Winder – all born in “Springville, Utah, Utah.” They must have divorced, because her next children had a different father – Samuel Parker, Jr. The first child born to them was Mahala Strong Parker who was born when Mahala Ruth was twenty-three years of age in Shoneburg (Shunesburg), Washington, Utah in the area near to “Springdale, Washington, Utah” where her mother and step-father lived. (The two towns in Utah sound alike, but should not be confused with each other.)

Anyway, it is tradition and varified by older generations of whom I have personally interviewed, that Mahala Ruth’s three surviving children were raised by their maternal grandparents, Ursula Curtis Durfee Gifford and her second husband, Samuel Kendall Gifford – he being the children’s step-grandfather. It is reported that they were good, righteous, and kind people. He was a Patriarch in the Church as well as he worked in the St. George Temple before his death.

The three children of Mahala Ruth were Ursula Ett Winder (Etta and/or “Ettie” as they called her, but her “names” are spelled in various ways), born 1868; John Augustus Winder, born in 1870; and Mahala Strong Parker born in 1873.

These Gifford grandparents were raising their own children as well – along with another granddaughter, at the same time.

Ursula Curtis and Samuel K. Gifford were married 2 January 1871 after his wife had died with six children still at home. When they were married, Samuel K. Gifford’s youngest child was six months old. The next youngest was two; then five; ten; fifteen; a daughter seventeen, but married; and a son, twenty-one years of age. Ursula (pronounced “Ur - soo - lah”) brought three children ages ten, twelve, and sixteen.

Within a few short years, four of her grandchildren became motherless. They were raised by the Giffords. Three of the four children were the children of Mahala Ruth,who died on the 9th of July 1875.

When their mother died, Mahala Strong Parker was 23 months old; Ursula Ett Winder was seven years old; John Augustus being five years old.

What a wonderful blog with lots of interesting data and history of so many people I’m related to one way or the other! Thank you for your efforts and important contribution to all of us!

Thank you for posting what notes and information you have collected on Mahala Ruth Durfee Parker and her daughter, Mahala Strong Parker. Mahala Ruth was my mother’s grandmother’s sister, and Mahala Ruth’s daughter, Mahala Strong, was my grandmother’s first cousin.

My mother and her sisters were close to their mother and grandmother – I’ve often heard them talking about Mahala. I received my information I’ve written from what I heard them talking, but especially from Mahala Ruth’s granddaughter, Ruth Gifford Stevens (daughter of Ursula Ette Winder) who grew up with and knew her relatives and family stories while living there in Springdale, Utah area. Another cousin that is still living at age 93 varified your history as well as what I've added of the story she could remember.

Mahala Ruth Durfee married Thomas Harrison Winder and had three children by him. She was sixteen when their first child was born: Fernando Durfee Winder; then Ursula Ett Winder; and lastly was John Agustus Winder – all born in “Springville, Utah, Utah.” They must have divorced, because her next children had a different father – Samuel Parker, Jr. The first child born to them was Mahala Strong Parker who was born when Mahala Ruth was twenty-three years of age in Shoneburg (Shunesburg), Washington, Utah in the area near to “Springdale, Washington, Utah” where her mother and step-father lived. (The two towns in Utah sound alike, but should not be confused with each other.)

Anyway, it is tradition and varified by older generations of whom I have personally interviewed, that Mahala Ruth’s three surviving children were raised by their maternal grandparents, Ursula Curtis Durfee Gifford and her second husband, Samuel Kendall Gifford – he being the children’s step-grandfather. It is reported that they were good, righteous, and kind people. He was a Patriarch in the Church as well as he worked in the St. George Temple before his death.

The three children of Mahala Ruth were Ursula Ett Winder (Etta and/or “Ettie” as they called her, but her “names” are spelled in various ways), born 1868; John Augustus Winder, born in 1870; and Mahala Strong Parker born in 1873.

These Gifford grandparents were raising their own children as well – along with another granddaughter, at the same time.

Ursula Curtis and Samuel K. Gifford were married 2 January 1871 after his wife had died with six children still at home. When they were married, Samuel K. Gifford’s youngest child was six months old. The next youngest was two; then five; ten; fifteen; a daughter seventeen, but married; and a son, twenty-one years of age. Ursula (pronounced “Ur - soo - lah”) brought three children ages ten, twelve, and sixteen.

Within a few short years, four of her grandchildren became motherless. They were raised by the Giffords. Three of the four children were the children of Mahala Ruth,who died on the 9th of July 1875.

When their mother died, Mahala Strong Parker was 23 months old; Ursula Ett Winder was seven years old; John Augustus being five years old.

What a wonderful blog with lots of interesting data and history of so many people I’m related to one way or the other! Thank you for your efforts and important contribution to all of us!

Thank you for posting what notes and information you have collected on Mahala Ruth Durfee Parker and her daughter, Mahala Strong Parker. Mahala Ruth was my mother’s grandmother’s sister, and Mahala Ruth’s daughter, Mahala Strong, was my grandmother’s first cousin.

My mother and her sisters were close to their mother and grandmother – I’ve often heard them talking about Mahala. I received my information I’ve written from what I heard them talking, but especially from Mahala Ruth’s granddaughter, Ruth Gifford Stevens (daughter of Ursula Ette Winder) who grew up with and knew her relatives and family stories while living there in Springdale, Utah area. Another cousin that is still living at age 93 varified your history as well as what I've added of the story she could remember.

Mahala Ruth Durfee married Thomas Harrison Winder and had three children by him. She was sixteen when their first child was born: Fernando Durfee Winder; then Ursula Ett Winder; and lastly was John Agustus Winder – all born in “Springville, Utah, Utah.” They must have divorced, because her next children had a different father – Samuel Parker, Jr. The first child born to them was Mahala Strong Parker who was born when Mahala Ruth was twenty-three years of age in Shoneburg (Shunesburg), Washington, Utah in the area near to “Springdale, Washington, Utah” where her mother and step-father lived. (The two towns in Utah sound alike, but should not be confused with each other.)

Anyway, it is tradition and varified by older generations of whom I have personally interviewed, that Mahala Ruth’s three surviving children were raised by their maternal grandparents, Ursula Curtis Durfee Gifford and her second husband, Samuel Kendall Gifford – he being the children’s step-grandfather. It is reported that they were good, righteous, and kind people. He was a Patriarch in the Church as well as he worked in the St. George Temple before his death.

The three children of Mahala Ruth were Ursula Ett Winder (Etta and/or “Ettie” as they called her, but her “names” are spelled in various ways), born 1868; John Augustus Winder, born in 1870; and Mahala Strong Parker born in 1873.

These Gifford grandparents were raising their own children as well – along with another granddaughter, at the same time.

Ursula Curtis and Samuel K. Gifford were married 2 January 1871 after his wife had died with six children still at home. When they were married, Samuel K. Gifford’s youngest child was six months old. The next youngest was two; then five; ten; fifteen; a daughter seventeen, but married; and a son, twenty-one years of age. Ursula (pronounced “Ur - soo - lah”) brought three children ages ten, twelve, and sixteen.

Within a few short years, four of her grandchildren became motherless. They were raised by the Giffords. Three of the four children were the children of Mahala Ruth,who died on the 9th of July 1875.

When their mother died, Mahala Strong Parker was 23 months old; Ursula Ett Winder was seven years old; John Augustus being five years old.

What a wonderful blog with lots of interesting data and history of so many people I’m related to one way or the other! Thank you for your efforts and important contribution to all of us!

I'm thrilled to find this post. Little has been passed down in regard to how our families in Springdale, UT came to exist. My father was James Harlon Winder, who is the son of Dan Winder, who was a son of John Agustus Winder. I had heard a little about the murder of Mahala Ruth Durfee Winder and later Parker, but wanted to know more.

I emjoyed reading your blog posts and the comments to the post. I am a descendant of Thomas Harrison WInder. I am gathering information on the family for my mother who lives in Emery County. My grandmother was Mildred Caroline Winder.